# Know any good cheap/free PDA software? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [August 1, 2002, 9:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/know-any-good-cheap-free-pda-software/121928 "2002-08-01T21:56:27Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 9\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Tomcat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/8e8cbc/32.png) [@Tomcat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tomcat)\ **Post date:** [August 1, 2002, 9:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/know-any-good-cheap-free-pda-software/121928/1 "2002-08-01T21:56:27Z")
I just got my first PDA- Sony PEG-T615C. Neat little thing. I’d like to get some good stuff for it- any recommendations? Anything at all from organizing my life to playing games. Only specific one might be Excel related stuff. Thanks- -Tcat ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [August 1, 2002, 10:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/know-any-good-cheap-free-pda-software/121928/2 "2002-08-01T22:30:48Z")
Get thee to [www.freewarepalm.com](http://www.freewarepalm.com) for a start. ---
**Author:** ![gazpacho](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/6f9a4e/32.png) [@gazpacho](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gazpacho)\ **Post date:** [August 1, 2002, 10:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/know-any-good-cheap-free-pda-software/121928/3 "2002-08-01T22:31:18Z")
I just got the same model myself. I had a visor before. The program that I use the most is STRIP (Secure Tool for Recalling Important Passwords). This is great for keeping track of all the passwords and what the account name is for websites like SDMB that I am not as concerned about being made public as I am my bank passwords. It is great and free. [www.zetetic.net](http://www.zetetic.net) . I see they have come out with a new release so I will have to get it. memo safe is another good thing for encrypting stuff on your palm. this is share ware and they want $7 for it which I paid because it is great connects to the memo data base in the palm. These guys also have an update. [http://www.deepnettech.com/memosafe.html](http://www.deepnettech.com/memosafe.html) Now if they would only update the programs to work with the better resolution of the Clie. ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [August 1, 2002, 10:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/know-any-good-cheap-free-pda-software/121928/4 "2002-08-01T22:38:07Z")
On the Excel thing, you have a choice between [Documents to Go](http://www.dataviz.com/products/documentstogo/) [Iambic Office](http://www.iambic.com/) [Quickoffice](http://www.cesinc.com/) and possibly others, but these are the top three; they all have their strengths and weaknesses, so have a look and see what suits you best. I plumped for Quickoffice because I felt it made best use of my Clié (N770) hires screen, but YMMV. There are stacks of good free programs also available at [www.palmgear.com](http://www.palmgear.com) and [www.palmblvd.com](http://www.palmblvd.com), not to mention Tucows and cNet. ---
**Author:** ![RealityChuck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/realitychuck/32/195_2.png) [@RealityChuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealityChuck)\ **Post date:** [August 1, 2002, 10:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/know-any-good-cheap-free-pda-software/121928/5 "2002-08-01T22:51:54Z")
Those I’ve found useful include CSpotRun (text reader) MetrO (great if you use subways) Big Clock (a timer) X-Master (freeware to run Hackmaster utilities) Once you get X-Master, try these hacks: MiddleCapsHack (lets you write capital letters by drawing them across the letter & numeral areas of the Graffiti area. A great timesaver) EasyLaunch (launches programs quickly) Category Hack (Easily switch categories on the main screen) ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [August 1, 2002, 11:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/know-any-good-cheap-free-pda-software/121928/6 "2002-08-01T23:02:50Z")
Is X-Master better than EVPlugBase? ---
**Author:** ![xash](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/x/c6cbf5/32.png) [@xash](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/xash)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2002, 1:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/know-any-good-cheap-free-pda-software/121928/7 "2002-08-02T01:10:37Z")
In my personal opinion X-Master is better than EVPlugBase. X-Master along with TrapWeaver offers you an extremely stable Palm OS experience. I currently have 16 hacks active in X-Master. Also, EVPlugBase is not recommended for Visors. TrapWeaver handles conflicts between various patches. Crash Hack saves me the need for finding a pin in the rare event that my Palm device does crash. PhlegmHack and StayOffHack are my fav. hacks. Ok, here are apps that i consider essential: SilverScreen (changes the entire user interface of your Palm) iSilo (the neatest document reader) AvantGo (a very popular offline browser) BeamWare (to beam games, docs, etc. across palms) MemoPlus (an enhanced version of Memo Pad) PhoneMate (address book enhancement) OmniRemote (use your Palm to control your tv, vcr, music system, garage door, etc.) Strategic Commander (my fav. strategy game) WorldMate (all the international info you need. time calc, currency convertor, shoe size convertor, etc.) BDicty (a must have dictionary reader, space permitting) TextPlus (improves your graffiti experience, and offers dictionary based suggestions of words) [http://www.palmgear.com](http://www.palmgear.com) is an excellent site to get your shareware from. [http://www.memoware.com](http://www.memoware.com) has free e-books, short stories, novels, etc. **Mangetout** has already covered Office/Excel software. ---
**Author:** ![Tomcat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/8e8cbc/32.png) [@Tomcat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tomcat)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2002, 10:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/know-any-good-cheap-free-pda-software/121928/8 "2002-08-02T10:51:37Z")
Cool, thanks! ---
**Author:** ![Tomcat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/8e8cbc/32.png) [@Tomcat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tomcat)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2002, 11:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/know-any-good-cheap-free-pda-software/121928/9 "2002-08-02T11:05:55Z")
Hey, just found out that X-master has a new version as of yesterday… v.1.5